Release Notes Avantra 20.2

Introduction

Avantra 20.2 is our latest major release and the successor of Syslink Xandria 7.3.

The new release features some obvious changes, a new name, a new brand, and a new versioning scheme, the latter of which is based on the year and month of the actual release.

Under the hood there is still the rock-solid code base of Syslink Xandria, with hints on our heritage here and there. So, you may still find the names syslink and xandria e.g. on the operating system level.

Also, the current release offers great new functions, such as our first step into Full Stack Automation, End-to-End monitoring of Cloud (SaaS and Web) Services – in particular for the SAP Cloud Platform –, native management of SAP Business Objects, and many best practice templates.

There will also be a dedicated version Avantra for AWS available in the AWS Marketplace.

As always, some of the new features are only available with the Avantra Pro Edition.

Feature / Edition Avantra Avantra Pro

Monitoring

Native Monitoring (all types of objects)

Custom Checks

Security/Compliance Custom Checks

Automatic Change Detection

End-to-End Monitoring

Business Services

JavaScript Custom Check API (RUN_JS)

General

Automation

Dashboards

Ticketing

Solution Documents

Maintenance Windows

Notifications

Integration

Cloud Integration

Start/Stop Management

Web Services

SAML

Active Directory

Reporting

Service Level Reporting

Availability Overview

Predictive Resource Planning

What’s new in 20.2

Full Stack Automation

An all new Workflow Automation Engine provides:

  • Sequential and parallel actions

  • Flow control for error handling

  • Special focus on the automation of starting and stopping

    • SAP Landscapes, Systems, Applications Servers

    • Databases

    • Cloud VMs

  • Perform actions in SAP systems via RFC, in databases via SQL, on servers via command line and SSH, and interact with SaaS or web services via REST

  • Back links to monitoring allow to use automation for self-healing actions

  • Self service using interactive dashlets

This function is only available with the Avantra Pro Edition.

End-to-End Cloud (SaaS & Web) monitoring

  • Convenient platform to access almost any SaaS product or web service

  • Usable in Monitoring and Automation

  • Out-of-the-box support for SAP Cloud Platform Neo

  • Supports JavaScript for advanced usage (Avantra Pro Edition only)

SAP Business Objects

  • Seven new out-of-the box checks and one custom check of type SAP_BO_JOBS

  • Simple setup requiring only the base URL and the CMS user and password

  • Supports automated starting and stopping

Best Practice Templates

Pre-configure examples for

  • System Selectors

  • Check Selectors

  • Parameter Sets

  • Notification Actions

These templates are only available for new Avantra installations, but not for upgrades.

Improved ABAP Interface / Transport

  • New ABAP code ("V8 Interface") based on state of the art ABAP classes replaces technology flagged deprecated by SAP

  • Transports are now dependent on the SAP basis version. There are different version for 7.20 and lower, 7.30, 7.40, and 7.50 and higher.

  • Role permissions have been restricted to the bare minimum.

Other New Features and Improvements

  • New dashlets Multiple System Overview" and "Number of Systems"

  • Improved handing of SAP HANA System DBs

  • New SAP system custom check SAP_ApplicationLog

  • Improved support for Agents connected to the Master through NAT

Important Notes

  • The Avantra Agent 20.2 does no longer support HP-UX

  • If you upgrade from Syslink Xandria 7.3 to Avantra 20.2 you need to re-activate your license after an upgrade to Avantra, if your Avantra Server has no Internet connectivity. See also Activation.

  • If you upgrade from Syslink Xandria Server 7.1.n with n≥7 you need to request a new license first. See also Obtaining the License before the Upgrade.

  • You need a Java Runtime Environment 8, 9, or 10 to run the Avantra Agent 20.2.x!

    For the Avantra Server you need a 64-bitJava Runtime Environment 8, 9, or 10.

    Java 11 or higher Runtime Environments ars still not supported yet.

    See also Avantra and Java.

  • For the upgrade of the transports, see Procedure: Import Transport Request.

Compatibility

Most important facts about compatibility between different versions of Avantra and Syslink Xandria components:

  • Syslink Xandria Agents versions 6.0.31 or less are not compatible with Avantra Server 20.2 or higher. You must upgrade all operational Syslink Xandria Agents to a version 6.0.n with n≥32, or 7.1.x, or 7.3.x before you can upgrade the Avantra Server to version 20.2

  • Avantra Agents 20.2.x are not compatible with syslink Xandria server components 7.3 or less. In other words: You must upgrade your Syslink Xandria Server to Avantra Server 20.2 before you can upgrade the Syslink Xandria Agents to Avantra Agents version 20.2.

  • You need to upgrade to Avantra Agent 20.2.x before you can import the new transport request.

See also the Upgrade Notes.